Disciples, Church

of the, also called ‘‘ Christians” and ‘‘ Campbell i tes,” a religious body founded in 1809 by Thomas and Alexander Campbell. Taking the expre teachings of the Bible as the only authoritative guide in religious matters, their purpose was to bring about Christian unity. Their first stage consisted in the uniting in one body of various Protestants of Western Pennsylvania, chiefly Presbyterians and Baptists. Thence they spread westward. In 1831 they were joined by another body which had grown up upon similar principles in Kentucky and neighboring States. In 1867 the number of Disciples in the United States was estimated at 425,000. The census of 1900 ascribed to them 10,298 organizations and 1,118,396 members. divisions of the country resembling territories in organization, but without representative or elective institutions. Existing instances are the District of Columbia and that of Alaska. An early instance was the District of Louisiana, which from 1804 to 1812 comprised all that portion of the Louisiana Purchase which lay north of the northern boundary of the present State of Louisiana. In South Carolina the counties were at one time called districts. 224